Months After Almost Quitting the Sport, U.S. Swimmer Has a ‘Time-Bound’ Message for Michael Andrew Amidst Pan American Games 2023

David Curtiss is one of USA Swimming‘s brightest young stars. He lived up to that billing at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. The 21-year-old has many a record to his name. In 2023, he was part of the NCAA championship-winning 200-yard medley relay team. He is also a five-time All-American. Aside from that, he is a three-time ACC champion. His accolades there include the 2022 50-yard freestyle and in 2023, the 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay.

David Curtiss, 21, has his sights set on the 2024 Paris Olympics. He will look to seal his ticket on the plane to the City of Light. Michael Andrew, 24, who was part of Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics, will be part of his competition for the Olympic qualifiers.

David Curtiss takes gold in 50m freestyle at the Pan American Games

David Curtiss equaled Michael Andrew’s timing in the 50m freestyle in Santiago. During the third leg of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2023 in Budapest, Andrew came second, clocking 21.85 seconds. Curtiss, however, won the gold medal in the same discipline at the 2023 Pan American Games. Kyle Sockwell, CEO of Swimming Twitter, took to X to congratulate Curtiss for the win. In addition to an eight-second clip of Curtiss following the race, he wrote, “Not too long ago David Curtiss was considering stepping away from swimming. Today, he won Pan American gold in the 50 Freestyle with a HUGE 21.85! I don’t think I’d be making an assumption to say that this 50 freestyle title means a lot to him. FIRE ME UP, DAVID!!”

Unfortunately for both Curtiss and Andrew, neither feat automatically qualifies them for the 2024 Olympics. They both comfortably exceeded the discipline’s Olympic Qualification Time (OQT) of 21.96 seconds. Both events also fell within the timeline set by FINA to qualify for individual swimming events, from 1 March 2023 to 23 June 2024. Sadly, that was not enough.

Neither event on FINA’s list of events for Olympic qualification

The Pan American Games were not on FINA’s list of qualification events. Neither was the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup. Andrew failed to make the cut for the 2023 World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka. The next edition of the World Championships in Doha in February 2024 offers both the chance to make it to the Olympics.

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According to Olympics.com, athletes who achieve the OQT in any listed qualification event will qualify for the same discipline in Paris 2024. That is assuming the maximum quota per event for the National Olympic Committee has not been exceeded. NOCs can enter two athletes, provided both achieved the OQT. It remains to be seen who prevails, Curtiss or Andrew. Both could potentially qualify for the Paris Olympics.

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